Does The New 'ipad' Make Brand Sense?
What's in a name? Apparently not a '3'

Okay, so the event is over, the announcements made and the new products are launched. Great stuff, undeniably but...

I'm left feeling a little bit deflated. Tell me if I'm looking at this the wrong way, but I'm not entirely sure that the third-gen iPad packs much of a punch with the name its been given. 'New iPad' or just 'iPad'. Really? Plus, it looks just like the 2.

In typical fashion, complaints from disgruntled fans following an Apple release don't take long to roll in... so maybe now I'm one of them.

If you look at this latest iPad unveiling as an exercise in branding, does it make sense to label the latest product by the name name as its first-gen predecessor? I know that there's a limit on numbers...iPad 26 is just plain ridiculous. But for me, 'iPad 3' should have been the moniker that came out of today's event.

ALSO - let's talk form. The shape, the aesthetic is the same as iPad 2. Maybe Apple thought what they currently had didn't need alterations in its design? Which is partly true, there's nothing they needed to 'fix' as such, but for me, I wanted to be surprised by something a bit,,,unexpected. Why didn't they chuck in a red model, just to rock the boat? I want Apple to be upstarts and push boundaries/conventions/expectations/standards.

Bet the case and accessories companies are feeling a tad cheated, too.

So we automatically brand the latest iPad as 'new' every time a next-gen model rolls out? And what will we then call the model before it? The 'second newest'? The 'one before the newest'?

This is an entirely subjective argument. And I do believe that because Apple is already so prolific, they don't need to worry too much about the finer details of 'what's in a name'. They'll sell regardless.

Even still, my expectations outweighed this morning's unveiling. Call it iPad depression, if you will.

I sought of predicted it, as did JZ. Not a biggy IMO. It's how the name every other device except the iPhone. If you need to identify an iPod or Mac you go by the year of release. Could be an issue with relegating old iPads to the cheapy bin, but maybe when the new iPad is released next year they'll make an iPad 3 available for cheap?

Frankly, I think the days of big changes in industrial design are gone. Apple markets this as a device that just gets out of the way. It's a piece of glass. It's all about what it does.

"I don't believe there's a power in the 'verse that can stop Kaylee from being cheerful...

...Sometimes you just wanna duct tape her mouth and dump her in the hold for a month."

X your the only one thinking like me. I've spoke about this before. Apple products are just giant screens. Not much can happen in the way of design. Just minor tweaks. Boost the power. Thinner. Software improvements. I like the new iPad. Glad they dropped the numbers ( as I spoke about before) I think everyone expects and iPhone 2007 moment. It's just not gonna happen every keynote.

Damn I win again, I have twisted another forum member (grace) to be as much of a cynic as me, I have said it before and I will say it again, apple lacks direction, imagination and innovation, and now the even lack the ability to come up with a decent name for a new product.

iPad will look like a great name once they release the iPad nano. For that matter, my iPad2 doesn't have a 2 on it, and even if theyd called it ipad3, there would not have been a number on the unit, so what's the difference?

I think we expect innovation all the time from Apple and that's why one people feel let down when it doesn't happen. Also when you get involved in all the rumors and hype, it's easy to feel let down because the rumors build things up that are just not true.

Also following the rumor mill you find out everything before the product is even released.

Now think about this.. Was the iPad innovative???? Tablets had been thought of and made years before... Just not as successfully and cleverly as Apple did it.... There's food for thought.

Okay, I concede Ken - my post is cynical. BUT I won't give in to being a cynic, just yet. My dissapointment comes from my love for Apple and the magic they have created in the past. I don't beleive they lack direction, in fact, they've created one for an entire industry. But I can tell you this: Put a '5' after the word iPhone, or a '3' following iPad and people immediately identify. That's true of sales and of readership - including our site. Our most popular and revisited posts are the ones that have this branding in the title and copy.

The number may not appear on the product itself, but it's ingrained in Apple lingo and its community chat Just the way MacBook Pro and MacBook Air define laptop categories, the latest iteration of an iOS device is distinguished with a number. Show me the numbers!

The 'new' iPad kills my buzz. So I guess, what's in a name (for me at least) is important.

This new Ipad is a flop. Gosh I agree with you....so much hype and expectations for WHAT? I will ditch my Ipad one and will buy an Ipad Two. (cheaper now) Number three is ridiculously stupid and frankly I do not see the point of it. Just another exercise in hype and branding.

Truly disappointed. May be a Samsung tablet will be more in keeping or am I going to attract the wrath of Brian, Dave or perhaps Ken????

Better go back and do my updates on my Ipad one.

gracer, on 08 March 2012 - 10:40 AM, said:

Okay, so the event is over, the announcements made and the new products are launched. Great stuff, undeniably but...

I'm left feeling a little bit deflated. Tell me if I'm looking at this the wrong way, but I'm not entirely sure that the third-gen iPad packs much of a punch with the name its been given. 'New iPad' or just 'iPad'. Really? Plus, it looks just like the 2.

In typical fashion, complaints from disgruntled fans following an Apple release don't take long to roll in... so maybe now I'm one of them.

If you look at this latest iPad unveiling as an exercise in branding, does it make sense to label the latest product by the name name as its first-gen predecessor? I know that there's a limit on numbers...iPad 26 is just plain ridiculous. But for me, 'iPad 3' should have been the moniker that came out of today's event.

ALSO - let's talk form. The shape, the aesthetic is the same as iPad 2. Maybe Apple thought what they currently had didn't need alterations in its design? Which is partly true, there's nothing they needed to 'fix' as such, but for me, I wanted to be surprised by something a bit,,,unexpected. Why didn't they chuck in a red model, just to rock the boat? I want Apple to be upstarts and push boundaries/conventions/expectations/standards.

Bet the case and accessories companies are feeling a tad cheated, too.

So we automatically brand the latest iPad as 'new' every time a next-gen model rolls out? And what will we then call the model before it? The 'second newest'? The 'one before the newest'?

This is an entirely subjective argument. And I do believe that because Apple is already so prolific, they don't need to worry too much about the finer details of 'what's in a name'. They'll sell regardless.

Even still, my expectations outweighed this morning's unveiling. Call it iPad depression, if you will.

G

If you don't ask, there will be no answer!
Curiosity has immense benefits for all!

Why do you both hate it? It has a hd screen it's got a new a5x chip. It's just the new model. And what hype? The hype is built by fans and rumour mills. No one is forcing you to buy it. I sometimes wonder if the people on these forums are apple fans or apple haters. No wonder only 5 or so people visit these forums. Completely negative.

Being objective and maybe even critical doesn't mean they are haters. I thought this was the AU Macworld forum where people with Apple products could find help, get ideas and talk about the good, the bad and express their opinions.

I'm know there are fanboy forums where Apple Love goes on but that is exactly why I chose this forum.

~ Criticism may not be agreeable, but it is necessary. It fulfils the same function as pain in the human body. It calls attention to an unhealthy state of things. ~ Winston Churchill

Apple fans build hype and expectation based on the myth that Apple releases something revolutionary every year. It's never happened that way. Everything in between the original Mac, iMac, iPod, iPhone and iPad has been iterative. Sorry folks, you're victims of your own unrealistic expectations.

Tell me - what were you expecting? It's a beautiful pane of glass that all sorts of amazing things. If you can find an Android or anticipate a future Windows tablet that does substantially more, show me. The best you will come up with is an extra port, stylus or number after its name.

Asked another way - what doesn't it do that you want it to do?

The revolution is over and we live in the brave new world.

"I don't believe there's a power in the 'verse that can stop Kaylee from being cheerful...

...Sometimes you just wanna duct tape her mouth and dump her in the hold for a month."

See JZ you are a closet apple lover, I don't think pegi or my views keep people away, thats a very long bow to draw, if we were talking about the latest stupid name for an Xbox, would you think the sky was going to fall in, or blame us, for the demise of the Microsoft forums ?

People are not driven away by anybody's posts or comments on here, if you hit a nerve, with somebody its usually the reverse, they fire up, call us apple haters, and vent steam at us.

The people in here who question things like the stupid name apple gives its iPads, or the insane glass back on the iPhones, are the ones apple wants to keep on side, because as long as a company thinks everything is rosy in the world, and thinks everybody is happy, little lemons without a voice, the more proven they a fail and fail badly.

And apple is fair from immune believe me, just remember 30 years or so ago, Kodak could do know wrong, know look at them.

So JZ, domt take every attack on apple as its an attack on your or your family, we are all friends with different opinions, so we will clash on and may we will agree on ( no i take that back you and me never agree)

But on the positive side at the least the new ad for the iPad is impressive ad